The overall power of these 1.000 cc super sports bikes
are almost out of this world, they pull from as low as 2.000 rpm and as it
builds up the engine pulls stronger and stronger and even stronger.

How
does it look?

Well, of the shelve, this is the best looking bike in the
1.000 cc super sport segment, and a solid second place if I include all the
super sport bikes. The R1 is only beaten by the amazingly good looking
GSX-R750/600, who also has to be dressed in black. But if you are looking
for the prettiest color from Yamaha, you should go for the beep red.

The R1 really looks fast, with a very good overall
design, only messed up by the ugly turn signals which need to be changed.
The wide V shaped front, the narrow rear end and nicely shaped swing arm in
flat black finish. Even the stock exhaust system looks good, something the
designers at Suzuki should have thought about when they designed the new
GSX-R1000 that has two very ugly mufflers. But if you want to make the R1
bread more freely, releasing both more power and more of that sweet sound of pure
power, there are several after marked full race systems that do the job.

3-2-1 GO…

As I throw my leg over it I realize that the seat sits a
little higher on the R1 than on the competition. The display is
most of the time
easy to read, but
some of the info is a little hard to read because of the small
size. And Yamaha have not included a gear indicator, which is just plain
stupid to leave out.

Turn the key, clutch in, hit the start button and the
beast beneath me is alive. Step it into first and of I go. While letting the
wheels warm up, I instantly feel that the suspension is softer and
more comfortable that on the ZX-10R which was hard as rock. I am no huge fan
of the sitting position on these super sport bikes. But here I have a nice
knee angle, and setting the cruising speed at 60 mph the head wind takes
most of the weight of my hands.

After a few miles I start to do some acceleration tests
and letting the power run a little more freely. It is pulling smoothly, but
not super strong, from 2.000 rpm.As
the engine picks up more and more rpm’s it just pulls stronger and stronger.
When I run it flat out and hit the 10.000 rpm mark, it really takes of and
the sound gets super intense, while
I am just hanging on as best I can. With a 100 mph top speed in first, and
145 mph in second, this is a bike to bring to the track days if you want it
to run freely. Or you could use it to blast thru central Europe to get some
real Italian pizza and a cold beer, and maybe some girls with moustaches for
dessert. I would skip dessert and head home, to some nicely shaped blonds
with Available signs on their foreheads at the local bar.

What to me felt like a little softer suspension just
cruising along the highway firmed nicely up as the corners and speed put
some weight down on it. In both tight corners and faster ones the bike feels
stable and safe. I never pushed it close to the limit but rode it like I
would ride my own Suzuki Sv-1000 on an afternoon ride. Of all the super
sport bikes I have tested, including the ZX-14R (ZZR-1400), this is the best
one for me. It does not give me pain in the back of my neck, and as long as
I keep the speed up my hands are doing just fine. If it was my bike I would
have put on a little higher screen, after replacing the turn signals of
course, and a pair of higher clip-on’s, raising them about an inch.

The gear box and clutch works very good, and there is no
problems doing quick changes or tapping a fast double gearing on it. I never
use more than two fingers on the front break, and just putting a little
pressure on it makes the speed drop like a stone.
And I have a good feed back on what is going on down there as I increase the
pressure on the breaks.

Taking a step back

As I park the bike and takes off the helmet, I pick up
the voice recorder and do the final words. I am happy with it, and if I
compare it with the Kawasaki ZX-10R and ZX-14R it is simply a better bike
for me. A specially for my kind of riding, doing the afternoon blasts on
the back roads and a couple of longer trips during the summer. Plus bringing
it to track days with good rubber on it. The only thing I really missed is
the gear indicator, because the gear ration is so close that it is hard to
tell what gear I am in.

If I decide to go for a sports bike with some touring
possibilities next time I change my bike, the R1 will be on top of my list,
at least as the future looks today.

2007 Yamaha R1

Engine type:
Inline four cylinder, liquid cooled

Displacement:
998
cc

Claimed Horsepower: 180
hp (189hp with ram-air) at 12.500 rpm

Claimed Torque:
112,7 lb-ft (118,3 lb-ft with
ram-air) at 10.000 rpm

Wheelbase:
55,7 inches

Seat height:
32,9 inches

Front tire:
120/70 ZR17

Rear tire:
190/50 ZR17

Fuel tank:
4,75
gallons

Dry weight:
390 lbs.

Price:
$11.699,-

Here you can see both the relaxed sitting
position, and the good knee angel :-)

Norwegian and Nordic Road Racing Champion in
2006 on a R6 in the Production 600 class,

Helge Spjeldnes, made this R1 happen for me
to do this test. Thank You...!!!! Visit his web-page on this
LINK

If you wonder why I do not have my leather
suit on, well, my experience is that Dainese is crap.

Two seams have had to been redone, and two
zippers have been changed, and the dress was not even one year old.

And on top of that, the shoes, also new
Dainese, have been back to Italy for repair.

Good looking original exhaust, thumbs up to
Yamaha - Good work :-)

Just look at those turn singnals, they just
do not fit in.... But the wide V front is very good looking...

When you see the needle pass 10.000 rpm,
have a new gear ready, you will need it, very soon....

Riding my own Sv-1000 from the Suzuki
GSX-R750 test to pick up the R1, the

Police was in my mirrors, but they didn't
stop me, because I never do anything illegal, almost....